Kyla-Lee Janakis has been awarded the AHEPA NSW Prize, which is worth $1,000, at Macquarie University’s Languages and Cultures Student Prize-giving Ceremony on May 20.
The ceremony was held at the Arts Precinct Function Centre and MC’d by Dr Jane Hanley who is the Discipline Chair of Languages and Cultures at the university.
In attendance to congratulate Ms Janakis for winning the award on the night was Constantinos Yiannakodimos, Head of the Public Diplomacy Office of Greece in Sydney, representing the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Dr Patricia Koromvokis, Head of the Modern Greek Studies Program at Macquarie University, Theophilus Premetis, President of the Greek Studies Foundation Macquarie University, and Bill Skandalakis, President of AHEPA NSW.
“I am very honoured to have been awarded this prize… I am extremely fortunate and grateful that Macquarie University recognises the importance of the Greek language and culture, and for this reason I had the opportunity to embark on a learning journey about my wonderful heritage,” Ms Janakis tells The Greek Herald about being awarded.
“I am grateful to my teacher Dr Patricia Koromvokis, whose dedication and passion for teaching made me love every moment of my learning experience and I am very grateful for this gift she gave me.”
For her part, Dr Koromvokis says the awards ceremony recognises the efforts of students who work with great diligence, zeal and enthusiasm.
“Kyla, in addition to being an excellent and exemplary student with an unquenchable thirst for learning, is an example of perseverance and dedication,” Dr Koromvokis tells The Greek Herald.
“She is the mother of four girls. I feel lucky to be her lecturer because Kyla proves to everyone around her that it is never too late to set goals and pursue your dreams!”
A number of solemn memorial services and wreath laying ceremonies were held over the weekend in Australia and Greece to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Crete.
This is what went down across the two countries:
Tasmania:
The Greek Community of Tasmania held an early morning wreath laying ceremony at the Hobart Cenotaph to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Crete.
Greek youth dressed in traditional Greek costumes stood proudly at the cenotaph, as a minute’s silence was held and the Ode to the Fallen was read out. The Archepiscopal Vicar of Canberra and Tasmania, Very Reverend Prochoros Anastasiadis, representing His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, and Father Vasilios Verdes from Holy Trinity Church in Hobart, also said a small prayer.
All photos by: Andrew McMaster.
This was followed by a number of prominent members from the Greek community, as well as state government and military representatives, laying wreaths.
This included, but is not limited to, the President of the Cretan Federation of Australia and NZ, Tony Tsourdalakis, the President of the Cretan Association of Tasmania, John Fiotakis, the Governor of Tasmania, Kate Warner AC, Elise Archer MP, representing Tasmanian Premier, Peter Gutwein, David O’Byrne MP, representing the Tasmanian Labor Party, and Cassy O’Connor MP, Leader of the Tasmanian Greens.
A formal reception at the Hellenic House in North Hobart followed the wreath laying service. At the reception, the Hellenic Dancers of Hobart performed a number of Cretan dances, while Mr Tsourdalakis recited a Cretan poem.
Various other speakers also discussed the importance of ensuring Greek people continue to remember and teach future generations the importance of the Battle of Crete.
In Sydney, the Battle of Crete anniversary was commemorated over two days, with a wreath laying ceremony at Martin Place on Saturday and a memorial service at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of The Annunciation of Our Lady in Redfern on Sunday.
The wreath laying was attended by Battle of Crete war veterans, descendants, Members of Parliament and Greek community leaders as they remembered the Greek, Australian, British and New Zealand troops who desperately tried to defend Greece against a huge German airborne assault on May 20, 1941.
Wreath laying ceremony at Martin Place, Sydney. Photos: The Greek Herald / Peter Oglos.
The next day a memorial service at the Greek Orthodox church in Redfern was presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
In attendance at the service were a number of prominent members of the Greek community and politicians including, but not limited to, the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Christos Karras, Peter Poulos MLC, the President of the Cretan Federation of Australia and NZ, Tony Tsourdalakis, the Chairman of the Joint Committee for the Battle of Crete and the Greek Campaign, James Jordan, the Secretary of the Joint Committee, Nick Andriotakis, the President of the Cretan Association of Sydney & NSW, Terry Saviolakis, and the President of the Greek Returned Servicemen League of NSW, Peter Tsigounis.
After the service, a documentary screening was held at St Andrew’s Theological College. The documentary, ‘A Lot of Time for the Greek,’ was made for the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand to commemorate the anniversary.
Greece:
Australia’s Ambassador in Greece, Arthur Spyrou, attended a number of events over the weekend in Greece to commemorate 80 years since the Battle of Crete.
His first stop was to Chania on the Greek island of Crete, where he and his sons paid tribute to the fallen ANZACs at the 42nd Street Memorial. They also listened to the stories of the elders in Rethymno about the battle.
Ambassador Spyrou with his sons.
Stavromenos Memorial.
From there, Ambassador Spyrou went to the Stavromenos Memorial on the island and visited the adjacent street named after Sir Ian Campbell, the commander of the Australian and Greek forces in Rethymno. He laid a wreath to pay tribute to their service and sacrifice.
Next up was the Hellenic-Australian Memorial in Rethymno where Ambassador Spyrou laid a wreath and presented student awards and a donation to the local Metropolis, on behalf of RSL National as a token of Australia’s eternal gratitude to the brave Cretan people for their generosity, camaraderie and self-sacrifice aiding the ANZACs.
Ambassador Spyrou’s last stop was the Commonwealth War Graves Commission at Souda Bay Cemetery.
From the age of seven, Christina Stefanou and her twin brother started playing soccer and instantly fell in love with the sport.
Their mum, Korina Stefanou, tells the Sydney Morning Herald she was relieved they had chosen a “safe sport” with no dangerous tackling, but for Christina it was so much more.
Over ten years, Christina started playing at her local club in Albury-Wodonga and moved through the ranks, representing NSW in the national league, then from the age of 14 travelling to Melbourne several days a week to play for South Melbourne’s NPL team.
She was touted as a rising star, tipped to play for Australia or win a scholarship to a US university. But at 16, she started getting headaches, eyesight problems, feeling dazed, and that progressed to lapses in memory and concentration.
Christina was eventually diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome and had to give up the sport entirely because of a brain injury acquired from heading the ball too many times. She spent year 11 and 12 doing rehab and nearly didn’t make it to university at all.
Christina Stefanou (blue jersey), 16, playing soccer shortly before she was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome and forced to give up the sport.
“I didn’t think I’d be here, not from where I was – no way,” Christina, who is now 19 years old and studying exercise sport science at the University of Wollongong, tells the SMH.
Christina estimates she had about eight concussions from heading the ball, starting from age 11. At first it would require a hard knock from heading a ball at high speed during a game but later softer impacts, such as in training or even from shaking her head, could trigger symptoms.
Her mum, Korina, said she never realised soccer could be dangerous and wished she had known more about concussion.
“We honestly didn’t know,” she told the SMH. “We would tell her to get in there and have a go as much as anyone else did. We would chuckle on the sideline about her going in for the headers when some would shy away at the sound of the ‘thud’.”
Recently, a debate has emerged around Football Australia’s stance on junior players heading to ball. Some say Australia should follow the US and UK example and ban heading outright for players under a certain age, while others argue that children need to be prepared and taught proper technique.
Korina told the newspaper that she did not blame the local clubs who were all volunteers doing their best, but she wanted Football Australia to ensure coaches were trained about concussion and parents and players were given an information brochure.
If Christina had her way, she would ban heading for anyone under the age of 16. She said allowing it automatically created pressure for players to do it.
“Children can be trained to use their chest or any other parts of the body and [coaches and other players] also need to not make a big deal out of it if someone doesn’t header the ball,” Christina tells the SMH.
“Because you’re technically allowed to do it, you’re told to go for the ball, get the ball, header it, do what you have to do for it. I think that definitely needs to change.”
Big-name authors are missing from the longlist of this year’s prestigious Miles Franklin Literary Award, as new voices and small publishers dominate.
One of these new voices named in the $60,000 award longlist is creative writing teacher and author of Lucky’s, Andrew Pippos. Lucky’s is Pippos’ first-ever novel depicting a multi-generational saga about a Greek immigrant who sets up a franchise of cafes in 1950s Australia.
“Writing is always what I wanted to do, this is the most consistent and pressing ambition of my life to write a novel, and to do it has been enormously gratifying,” Pippos told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“Even to have the book published is a big event and to be longlisted for the Miles Franklin is wonderful.”
Andrew Pippos. Photo: Supplied.
Pippos tells the newspaper his one regret is that his father was not around to see his book published.
“My father died some years ago. He wasn’t a literary person, he wasn’t a reader at all but I think he would have read this book.”
Other first-time novelists longlisted for the award include Laura Jean McKay for Animals in that Country, Nardi Simpson for Song of the Crocodile and Madeleine Watts for The Inland Sea.
Chairman of judges, Richard Neville, told the SMH the longlist was a mix of well-established, early career and debut novelists whose work range from historical fiction to fabulism and psychologism.
“Through an array of distinctive voices these works invite their readers to engage with questions regarding the natural and animal worlds, asylum, sexual abuse, colonialism, racism, and grief,” Mr Neville, the Mitchell Librarian at the State Library of NSW, said.
“These are stories about trauma and loss, and also about beauty, resilience, and hope.”
The Miles Franklin Literary Award was last year awarded to Tara June Winch for her novel TheYield, the fourth Indigenous writer to win after Melissa Lucashenko, Alexis Wright, and two-time winner Kim Scott.
The shortlisted finalists this year will be announced on June 16 and the winner on July 15.
The Miles Franklin Literary Award longlist:
Amnesty by Aravind Adiga (Picador)
The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott (Text)
At the Edge of the Solid World by Daniel Davis Wood (Brio)
Our Shadows by Gail Jones (Text)
Infinite Splendours by Sofie Laguna (A&U)
The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey (Text)
The Animals in That Country by Laura Jean McKay (Scribe)
A Ryanair flight from Athens to Lithuanian capital Vilnius was diverted while over Belarus airspace on Sunday, and was forced to land in Minsk with the sole purpose of arresting journalist Roman Protasevich, who has been critical of the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko.
The flight map shows the aircraft was about to cross into Lithuanian airspace before suddenly changing direction.
The flight map.
Lithuanian President, Gitanas Nauseda, reacted by tweeting “Unprecedented event! A civilian passenger plane flying to Vilnius was forcibly landed in Minsk. Belarusian political activist & founder of (online information stream) @NEXTA_EN was on the plane. He is arrested. (Belarus) regime is behind the abhorrent action. I demand to free Roman Protasevi(ch) urgently!”
There are conflicting reports on what happened. In one, there was supposedly a call for a suspected bomb on board. In another, coming from NEXTA, Belarus KGB officers, who had boarded the plane in Athens, caused a commotion. NEXTA’s managing director also reported about a fighter directing the civilian airliner into Minsk airport. None of those reports have been confirmed yet.
Belarus President, Alexander Lukashenko. Photo: Sergei Sheleg/BelTA Pool Photo via AP, File.
The Associated Press reported that “(Belarus’) presidential press service said President Alexander Lukashenko personally ordered that a MiG-29 fighter jet accompany the Ryanair plane…to the Minsk airport.”
Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a statement strongly condemning the forced diversion of the Ryanair Athens-Vilnius flight to Minsk, Belarus.
.@GreeceMFA statement on the incident of forced landing of Ryanair FR4978 in Minsk, Belarus
“Greece strongly condemns the state hijacking that took place today and resulted in the forced landing of Ryanair FR 4978, which operated the Athens-Vilnius route, in Minsk, Belarus,” the statement reads.
“The plane had a total of 171 passengers on board, 11 of whom are Greek citizens. This act, which endangered the lives of all passengers, is unacceptable.”
Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, also said in a post on Twitter: “The forced landing of a commercial plane to detain a journalist is an unprecedented, shocking act.”
The forced landing of a commercial plane to detain a journalist is an unprecedented, shocking act. We demand all passengers’ immediate release. Tomorrow’s #EUCO must address the need to step up pressure on Belarus. Enough is enough.
— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) May 23, 2021
“We demand all passengers’ immediate release. Tomorrow’s #EUCO must address the need to step up pressure on Belarus. Enough is enough,” he continued.
European Council President, Charles Michel, added he was “very concerned” by the reports of a forced landing and called on Belarus authorities “to immediately released the flight and all its passengers.”
Second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas claimed his seventh ATP title after beating Britain’s Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-3 in the final of the Lyon Open on Sunday.
Tsitsipas, who dropped only one set in the entire tournament, wrapped up the match in 69 minutes to add a second title in the claycourt swing after winning last month’s Monte Carlo Masters.
“I felt like things were going my way, I’m proud of this performance against Cameron since he’s been winning against big players and showing what left-handers can do on clay,” Tsitsipas said in a post-match interview on court.
— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@steftsitsipas) May 23, 2021
Speaking of his plans ahead of the French Open later this month, he said: “It’s about getting there as early as possible, starting practice and getting in shape for the big Parisian Grand Slam which I adore and love.
“Hopefully something good can come out of it.”
The 22-year-old Greek won on the back of a strong service game, winning 82% of his first serve points while he broke Norrie three times in the match.
Tsitsipas, ranked fifth in the world, also leads the ATP Race to Turin’s season-ending tournament with 33 wins this year.
Over the years we have seen and felt the inefficiencies of the people that run the Greek Festival of Sydney. This year takes the award for the worst planning blunders ever. We all know and see it, yet no one is prepared to speak up, to call those running the Festival to account, to bring about the change necessary to run these events professionally. Where does the problem lie? and why has the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (GOC) Board been so silent on the matter?
The food vendors, the musicians, the venues, find doing business with the Festival Committee challenging; their inexperience and proven inability in running professional events. Most now see this as normal, accept it and expect it. Those running the Festival have simply been there too long, they serve themselves rather than the people, and they have poor management and event planning skills. They are unpopular and often enter into arrangements that compromise the Greek Community as a whole.
The President and the Board can sit back and cop the criticisms, or they can fix the problems. Yesterday’s Hope Estate event was innovative and fresh with many people looking forward to something new, but in Michael Hope’s words the event was “nothing but an unmitigated disaster and totally unacceptable”. Further, it appears some comments reflecting this have been deleted from the Festival’s Facebook Page. The letter from Mr Hope distancing himself from the Festival is in itself the single biggest criticism to act on those responsible. The apology from GOC is nothing more than a tongue-in-cheek note to appease.
Let’s start with this year’s first disaster at the Town Hall with the Hymn to Liberty concert, which started over an hour and a half late. The whole ticketing process was a shamble. People stood for over an hour with what they thought was their electronic ticket only to be given a manual ticket at the entry. On top of this the event was delayed as many dignitaries proceeded to the Opera House first to flick the switch at 8:00pm. It is also well known that the Festival, even though it called for the lighting of the Opera House initially, tried to change the date of the lighting at the last minute.
The orchestra and the singers waited over 2 hours to commence the performance. A big Bravo! to all those who performed, even though it was deliberately delayed, was wonderful.
Next the City Recital Hall concert with Dimitri Basis. An excellent event but behind the scenes disunity and professional ethics compromised. With 2 wonderful Greek choirs now in Sydney, GOC sought it fit not to engage with either of them, but undermined both Choirs by writing directly to the singers to lure them into performing for free and without acclaim. This is an act compromises the call for Greek unity.
While we are on the City Recital Hall concert, the question must be raised as to why Dimitri Basis again? Don’t misunderstand me, but there are many more excellent performers than Basis, and this is now the 5th year he has performed for the Festival. Do we have a conflict of interest here? It remains unclear if there is a financial interest and to whom and how much? The community expects an explanation!
Then, we have the Greek Fest in Polkolbin, which was a paid event. 5000 people at $35 is $175,000. The complaints have been many, from the children dancing on gravel, while the stage remained empty, with cues for food up to 2 hours and cues to get in with bag checks and food and water confiscated from the elderly. The Festival failed badly, putting people at risk and creating more disunity within the Greek community.
Now a tit for tat between Hope Estate and the GOC has started, as GOC refuses to ever take responsibility for the failure of its events, blaming the venue, or the suppliers, or the performers.
The GOC represents the people of NSW, in fact it belongs to its members. The Festival of Sydney is a celebration of our Greek community. As each year passes it becomes more self-centred to those that run the Festival, servicing their needs, and not the community.
There is growing anger within the community, but there is also growing frustration with those involved with the Festival Committee as it is not transparent on the multiple Government Grants it receives, keeps changing the goalposts for those willing to support them in these events and does not uphold professional standards in its dealings. How can it be seen as ethical, when the whole GOC is a law unto itself, controlling its membership to only those that will support its decisions.
Whatever the community may be thinking, GOC needs a renewal, as there are too many blunders, too much money is being wasted and there is now a lack of trust and the community is asking questions. GOC is not a private business, it is a community Association and the community has the right to and expects full and open transparency from the GOC.
The GOC Board must address this matter and give the community the answers it deserves, and begin the process of finding suitable people to plan and execute what should be the biggest Greek Festival in Australia.
A special ceremony was held at the Martin Place epitaph in Sydney’s CBD on Saturday to commemorate 80 years since the Battle of Crete.
The ceremony was attended by Battle of Crete war veterans, descendants, Members of Parliament and Greek Community leaders as they remembered the Greek, Australian, British and New Zealand troops who desperately tried defending Greece against a huge German airborne assault on May 20, 1941.
Honourable dignitaries present at the event included His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, Lieutenant Commander Robert Valler Aide-deCamp, representing Her Excellency Margaret Beazley, David Elliott, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Matt Thistlethwaite MP, representing Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, Christos Karras, Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Trade Commissioner Katia Gkikiza, Emilios Michael, representing Cyprus High Commissioner Martha Mavrommati.
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Peter Oglos
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Peter Oglos
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Peter Oglos
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Peter Oglos
“Australians remember that battle, and we too draw strength from that courage, an example of those who have done so much to bring freedom,” David Elliott said on behalf of the Prime Minister.
“In the aftermath of a battle fought with honour, and conceded without disgrace, a deep friendship was forged.”
Messages for the anniversary from Konstantinos Floros, Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, and Prof. John Chrysoulakis, Secretary General for Public Diplomacy and Greeks Abroad, were played on a screen.
“As we commemorate this anniversary, we also celebrate the warm friendship between Greece and Australia,” Christos Karras said.
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Peter Oglos
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Peter Oglos
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Peter Oglos
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Peter Oglos
“…We celebrate our foreign values which bind us together as great friends.”
A notable guest for the ceremony was 104-year-old Alf Carpenter; One of Australia’s oldest surviving Anzacs and Battle of Crete survivor. Carpenter said The Ode in English, accompanied by Greek RSL President Peter Tsigounis who said the Ode in Greek, before he was assisted in placing a wreath onto the epitaph. Meeting with the Archbishop following the ceremony, the two briefly exchanged thoughts on the unique landscape of the island.
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Peter Oglos
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Peter Oglos
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Peter Oglos
Photo: The Greek Herald/ Peter Oglos
“United in war, we are often united in peace. These principles and ideals are as relevant today… as we pursuit a peaceful co-existence in a multicultural society, with a shared respect for our cultural diversity,” Archbishop Makarios said in his speech.
Students of St Spyridon, All Saints Grammar and St Euphemia all represented their schools with honour, also joining children from the Cretan Association of NSW in laying flowers on the epitaph.
Stella Tzobanakis went from a byline to a headline with the release of her debut book Creforce: The Anzacs and the Battle of Crete but it was just this year, the battle’s 80th anniversary, that Creforce’s dedicatee picked up the book for the first time.
“He’s just read the book as he is now 10… I know he’s biased, but he actually loves [it]. It was so rewarding to… give meaning to his heritage…
“…now the pieces of our family jigsaw puzzle are coming together and he’s really curious.”
Creforce gives readers as young as 10 a front-row seat to the Battle of Crete.
There’s a reason why it’s on the Premier’s Reading Challenge List across Australia. It was funded by the Australian Council for The Drum series and remains one of the few children’s books that passes down Anzac stories from the Battle of Crete.
Children are typically introduced to Roald Dahl in a different way, but in Creforce, he’s not the only familiar real-life ‘character’.
Tzobanakis’ now 10-year-old son, Otto, at Souda Bay Cemetery in Crete (Supplied)
Creforce features the likes of Australia’s first Aboriginal Army officerReginald Saunders, The Cretan Runner George Psychoundakis, and Horrie the Wog Dog.
“…there were two ANZACs – Charles Jager and Ben Travers – who were harbored by the Cretan people… [who] dressed them up as Cretan yiayiades and [taught] them how to walk, talk in the dialect, force them to stop smoking and swing their arms when they’re walking down the street like a soldier, and it helped them to escape the island and survive and write their story of their experience.”
But others weren’t so lucky, Tzobanakis says.
“There are still, I’m sure, so many stories out there that we don’t know about and that’s why it’s really important that the spotlight is put on this battle a lot more because their stories will just get lost if they’re not told,” she says.
“It’s up to us to keep those stories alive so we can learn from them, too.”
Creforce got a revamp last year, with a new cover, revisions, and updated information.
Writing Creforce was a “very emotional” two-year process, Tzobanakis says, involving vigorous fact-checking and a full immersion of Crete.
Horrie the Wog Dog was a little terrier who became an unofficial mascot of the Anzacs. (Picture: The Australian War Memorial)
“I would play sounds of the Ju87 Stuka dive Bombers [German planes] … the screaming sirens of those planes as they were nosediving, just to get an image of how the people of Crete, or any ANZACs and Allied soldiers, would have felt to hear that noise and how terrifying it was.…
“I really feel like I kind of lived it a little. I was really trying to mentally ‘go there’ and I hope that the book does that to some extent; transports you into their world so you can imagine a little bit of what they might have experienced.”
“The second Anzacs and the people of Greece and Crete really fought together, risked their lives for one another and now have bonds that will last a lifetime.
“It’s an extraordinary largely untold story and hopefully through this book and other initiatives, will become as well-known as Gallipoli.”
Creforce: The Anzacs and the Battle of Crete is available at http://stelitsahome.bigcartel.com
A book written by a Greek-Australian doctor in the 1970s has re-emerged as a pivotal text for Australia’s anti-vaccination movement.
The obituaries when Dr Archie Kalokerinos died in 2012 spoke glowingly of his service to Indigenous health. The Sydney Morning Herald credited him with cutting the infant mortality rate to zero in some regional NSW communities.
Former prime minister John Howard praised Kalokerinos for his “consistent and selfless efforts”.
What wasn’t mentioned was Kalokerinos’ claims that vaccinations were a cause of vitamin C deficiency.
His proposed treatment for almost every malady was large doses of the vitamin to boost the immune system. While large doses of vitamin C can help with scurvy and other deficiencies, there is no evidence to suggest it can help with strokes and diabetes.
He was reported to have given speeches at events run by Australia’s longest running anti-vaccination group, the Australian Vaccination Network.
He spoke about how the World Health Organization and Save the Children Fund were deliberately committing genocide through a mass vaccination program, and how the US government was conspiring to kill certain populations by encouraging those with known heart problems to get vaccinated.
Every Second Child is long out of print. But that hasn’t stopped it from becoming a core text for today’s anti-vaccination campaigners. Copies of the paperback are listed for sale on Amazon at more than $900 for Australian buyers.
The Australian Vaccination Network (which has since been renamed) posted in February that the book was a reason that Indigenous Australians were wary of being vaccinated.
One website hosting the free download shows it has been downloaded more than 2400 times. Facebook posts by users, including prominent international anti-vaxxers, that link to this digital copy of the book have received nearly 5000 engagements.
